The CJ Cup "This Year Not in Jeju but in the USA"

'COVID-19' Impact: Opening on October 15 at Shadow Creek, USA, Returning to Korea Next Year

Justin Thomas is seen posing with the trophy immediately after winning The CJ Cup last year. Photo by CJ Group

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] The CJ Cup, the only PGA Tour event managed in Korea, will be held in the United States this year.

CJ Group announced on the 25th, "Due to COVID-19 prevention guidelines, this year's tournament will be held for four days from October 15 at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA." It is planned to be held again in Korea next year. Established in 2017, the tournament has been held at Nine Bridges Golf Course in Seogwipo, Jeju Island for the past three years. Justin Thomas won the 1st and 3rd tournaments, and Brooks Koepka (both from the USA) won the 2nd.

CJ Group explained, "We prioritized the players' schedules and safety, and this decision was made with the added goal of expanding into the global market," adding, "Since the government’s two-week self-quarantine policy for overseas arrivals remains in place and the PGA Tour is held weekly, it is practically impossible for foreign players to visit Korea." Shadow Creek became famous in November 2018 for the head-to-head event between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson (both from the USA).

Defending champion Thomas said, "I am disappointed that I cannot go to Korea," but added, "I am looking forward to participating in the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek." A total of 78 players will participate, including the top 60 in the FedEx Cup points ranking, 5 players from the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour, 2 from the Asian Tour, the top 3 Korean players in the world rankings, and 8 players invited by CJ Group. The 5 Korean Tour players include the winners of the KPGA Championship and Genesis Championship, and the top 3 in the Genesis points ranking.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.